Handheld structure for portable high fidelity music playback

ABSTRACT

A portable housing structure of an audio data processing device having a rotatable knob for inputting user commands, and a touch screen display on the side wall. The rotary knob is coupled to a rotary encoder and a power management circuit is coupled to push-button. A plurality of functional components installed on this portable audio data processing device in responding to said knob&#39;s rotation.

CROSS REFERENCE

Priority is claimed from the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/924,184 filed on Jan. 6, 2014 entitled “Handheld Portable High Fidelity Music Playback with Streaming and Wi-Fi Routing Ability”, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a portable high fidelity music playback music box structure, more particularly, relates to a handheld housing of a portable high fidelity music playback with a rotary knob control as user input means while the music box is capable of forming a wireless routing network with various electronic devices and high fidelity lossless sound effect to cell phones, tablets, earphones, car sound systems, family entertainment centers and power speakers.

2. Description of the Related Art

Currently available high fidelity music systems are complicated and intimidating to users. The touch-screens are generally made of glass that can be easily broken. Technology illiterate or pre-school children, the un-educated, the illiterate, and people with old age and disabilities may not be able to enjoy a user menu only displayed on a screen.

In addition, current portable systems do not have high sound quality playback; cell phones or other hand held systems cannot process high fidelity music data, and the quality or sound effect of compressed audio data usually are not good enough for many music lovers. High fidelity sound systems are generally not portable and very expensive.

Accordingly, there is great need for an improved portable audio system that is easy to use even for technology ignorant consumers; and that can handle high density audio data and also plays back such audio data in high quality and lossless way.

ASPECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This application discloses a handheld, portable Wi-Fi enabled High Fidelity music box structure that is user friendly.

In one example embodiment, a traditional low-tech radio rotatable knob is utilized for user interactions with the controlling of the device, allowing the most technology ignorant users, pre-school children, the un-educated, the illiterate, and people with old age and disabilities to enjoy lossless music from the internet and 3G/4G network devices.

In one aspect of example embodiment, a traditional low-tech radio rotatable knob case is configured for easy hand-gripping and is mounted together with rotary part which is coupled with rotary encoder, where the rotation of rotary encoder is read by a controlling device, such as a microprocessor or a microcontroller to convert the angular position of the encoder to a corresponding digital code.

In one aspect of example embodiment a locking mechanism is mounted near rotary part to lock the rotary position of rotary part.

In one aspect of example embodiment a button PCB board, press-button structure, holding column and knob cap are mounted together onto main PCB board. Pressing knob cap would cause press-button to press button PCB board and turn on system power and sending power control keys through cable to main PCB board.

In one aspect of example embodiment, an Android based OLED interactive display interface is also provided.

In one aspect of example embodiment, the music box is made of metal, wood, plastic or any other durable material.

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an example diagram of functional interactions between a portable audio processing system and various music sources and sound devices in accordance with this application.

FIG. 2A and 2B are respectively a side view and a top view of an example portable audio processing and high fidelity playback device having a radio rotating knob and a touch-screen display that has been made and shown to work in accordance with this application.

FIG. 3A is a sectional view of the example portable audio processing and high fidelity playback device of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3B is a top sectional view of the button PCB board and the holding column structure in accordance with this application.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating of an electronic circuit configuration of a portable audio processing and high fidelity playback device in an in accordance with this application.

FIG. 5 illustrates the user interaction with the system through the rotation of the radio knob on top of the music box in accordance with this application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. The word ‘couple’ and similar terms do not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but also include connections through intermediate elements or devices. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional (up/down, etc.) or motional (forward/back, etc.) terms may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope in any manner. It will also be understood that other embodiments may be utilized without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that the detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and that elements may be differently positioned, or otherwise noted as in the appended claims without requirements of the written description being required thereto.

The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and the claims, if any, may be used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable. Furthermore, the terms “comprise,” “include,” “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, such that a process, method, article, apparatus, or composition that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, apparatus, or composition.

The present invention may be described herein in terms of functional block components and various processing steps. It should be appreciated that such functional blocks may be realized by any number of hardware and/or software components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, the present invention may employ various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements, processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, and the like, which may carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices.

It should be appreciated that the particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative of the invention and its best mode and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the present invention in any way. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical incentive system implemented in accordance with the invention.

Communications between device participants in the audio network system of the present invention is accomplished through any suitable communication means, such as, for example, a telephone network, public switch telephone network, intranet, Internet, extranet, WAN, LAN, WLAN, personal digital assistant, cellular phone, kiosk terminal, online communications, off-line communications, wireless communications, satellite communications, and/or the like. One skilled in the art will also appreciate that, for security reasons, any databases, systems, or components of the present invention may consist of any combination of databases or components at a single location or at multiple locations, wherein each database or system includes any of various suitable security features, such as firewalls, access codes, encryption, de-encryption, compression, decompression, and/or the like.

The present invention is described below with reference to block diagrams and flowchart illustrations of methods, apparatus (e.g., systems), computer program, electronic components, products according to various aspects of the invention. It will be understood that each functional block of the block diagrams and the flowchart illustrations, and combinations of functional blocks in the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, respectively, can be implemented by computer program instructions and in electronic circuits according to their respective needs in the field of art. These computer program instructions may be loaded onto a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks.

“Process” term in this application means coming up with a solution to functions, and a program, logic code or instructions for the solution.

Accordingly, functional blocks of the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations are the Components that support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions, and program instruction means for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that each functional block of the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, and combinations of functional blocks in the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by either special purpose, hardware-based computer systems which perform the specified functions or steps, or suitable combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

The term “programming” refers to providing instructions to a component or to a circuit subset. The term programming includes but is not limited to: programming of settings by a user, such as for the settings of a microcontroller; programming of other electronic components in a circuit by a microcontroller located on that circuit; and the like. The term “control” refers to management of electrical or electronic signals by monitoring them, routing them, switching electronic components on or off, modifying attributes of the signals, or the like.

The term “configured” as used herein with respect to a respective electronic component refers to a combination of factory settings for the respective component, user-adjusted settings for the component or a controller driving it, and inter-circuit relationships for electrical communication between the respective component and other hard-wired electronic components.

An illustrative portable electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1-3. Portable electronic devices such as illustrative portable electronic device 100 may be laptop computers or small portable computers such as those sometimes referred to as ultraportables. Portable electronic devices may also be somewhat smaller devices. Examples of smaller portable electronic devices include wrist-watch devices, pendant devices, headphone and earpiece devices, and other wearable and miniature devices.

The use of handheld devices is therefore generally described herein as an example, although any suitable electronic device may be used with the functions and circuit design of the present invention, if desired.

Audio equipment refers to those devices that are able to reproduce frequencies high enough and low enough to the human hearing range, about 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. CDs are capable of reproducing frequencies as low as 10 Hz and as high as 22.05 kHz, making them adequate for reproducing the frequency range that most humans can hear. “High-resolution” audio refers to audio that has a higher sampling frequency and bit depth than CD, which is 16-bit/44.1 kHz. High-resolution audio files usually use a sampling frequency 96 kHz or 192 kHz at 24-bit. Sampling frequency means the number of times samples are taken per second when the analogue sound waves are converted into digital. The more bits there are, the more accurately the signal can be measured, so from 16-bit to 24-bit there can see a noticeable leap in quality. The highest quality MP3 has a bitrate of 320 kbps, whereas a 24-bit/192 kHz file is transferred at a rate of 9216 kbps. Music CDs are transferred at 1411 kbps. 24-bit/192 kHz files therefore more closely replicate the sound quality that the musicians and engineers were working with in the studio.

A 24 bit 192 kHz formatted music is thus a music of high resolution that is more capable of being played back with high fidelity. High fidelity audio equipment refers to those devices that provide no noticeable distortion of the signal or emphasis or de-emphasis of any frequency in this frequency range. Since the highest sound resolutions of current cells phones and handheld audio processing devices can only decode audio files mostly around 16-bit/44 kHz, the music playback from these devices are not satisfactory.

“High-Fidelity” audio playback device in this application means a device that can produce “Lossless” audio with minimal distortion of the signal, that is capable of reproducing the full range of sound from recordings that have been mastered from better than 16-bit/44.1 kHz (CD quality) music sources.

In reference to FIG. 1, a portable high fidelity audio processing device 100 can interact with a variety of devices, the 3G/4G network and the Internet through Wi-Fi communication. System 100 receives and transmits Wi-Fi signals to and from the various data source devices through controlling the its Wi-Fi compliant antenna. For example, Apple OS based phones and iPad 101, Android based phones and tablets 103, internet Hotspot or a computer 105. Once a Wi-Fi signal is received, the device registers the sending device in its Wi-Fi connections network database. The connections to the various Wi-Fi enabled devices may be established simultaneously or one device at a time at a user's command. User input commands on system 100 are converted into Wi-Fi signals and transmitted to the various devices the Wi-Fi connections established.

Based on the received device Wi-Fi signals and the metadata of data packets, system 100 determines the suitable compliant decoding protocol to use to process the incoming data streams. The decoded data packets are then formatted either according to the 24 bit DAC protocol (for example for an earphone 111 or built-in playback 109 or car sound system 115) or S/PDIF protocol (e.g. for a HiFi music speaker 113) to be played back according the user command. The formatted audio data are then amplified through a built-in high fidelity playback amplifying circuit, to be sent to a sound system to playback. Portable audio processing device 100 also includes a peripheral USB changer capacity 117. This USB charger can be convenient power supply for high fidelity earphones and other devices.

In reference to FIG. 2A and 2B, an example handheld high fidelity audio processing device 200 includes both a traditional low-tech radio rotatory knob mechanism 201 as well as a touch screen 203 to allow user interactions. It is through simple and intuitive mechanical actions. Radio like rotating knob mechanism 201 may have a push and lock mechanism for system power control, and volume and channel selections and other user inputs. Touch screen display 203 may provide choices of variety of complex music menus.

The combination of touch screen 203 and rotating knob mechanism 201 allows the most technology illiterate users, pre-school children, the un-educated, people with old age and disabilities to interact with high fidelity internet music with ease and elegance. Two plugin sockets 205 and 207 for earphones and external sound systems are provided on the top in the example. Other buttons, user input control devices, and other input-output components, other input-output jack similar to plugin ports 205 may also be included.

Handheld device 200 shown in FIG. 2A and 2B at least also include remote controllers and wireless communications capability. Housing 209 includes at least one antenna for handling wireless communications. Housing 209, which is sometimes referred to as a case, may be formed of any suitable materials including, plastic, wood, glass, ceramics, metal, or other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. In some situations, case 209 may be a dielectric or other low-conductivity material, so that the operation of conductive antenna elements that are located in proximity to case 209 is not disrupted. In other situations, case 209 may be formed from metal elements. In scenarios in which case 209 is formed from metal elements, one or more of the metal elements may be used as part of the antenna(s) in device 200.

The input-output devices such as a display screen 203 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a plasma display, or multiple displays that use one or more different display technologies. As shown in the example of FIG. 2A, display screens such as display screen 203 can be mounted on front face. If desired, displays such as display 203 can be mounted on the rear face, on a side of device, on a flip-up portion of device 200 that is attached to a main body portion by a hinge (for example), or using any other suitable mounting arrangement.

A user of handheld device 200 may supply input commands using user input interface 203 or the rotating knob mechanism 201. User input interface 203 may include buttons (e.g., alphanumeric keys, power on-off, power-on, power-off, and other specialized buttons, etc.), a touch pad, pointing stick, or other cursor control device, a touch screen or any other suitable interface for controlling device 200. Although shown schematically as being formed on the bottom face of handheld electronic device 200, user input interface 203 may generally be formed on any suitable portion of handheld electronic device 200. For example, buttons and other user interface controls can also be located on the top face, rear face, or other portion of device 200. If desired, device 200 can be controlled remotely (e.g., using an infrared remote control, a radio-frequency remote control such as a Bluetooth remote control, Wi-Fi wireless remote control, etc.).

Handheld device 200 may have ports such as bus connector and jack that allow device 200 to interface with external components. Typical ports include power jacks to recharge a battery within device 200 or to operate device 200 from a direct current (DC) power supply, data ports to exchange data with external components such as a personal computer or peripheral, audio-visual jacks to drive headphones, a monitor, or other external audio-video equipment, etc. The functions of some or all of these devices and the internal circuitry of handheld electronic device can be controlled using input interface 201 and/or 203.

In reference to FIG. 3A, an example rotating knob mechanical user interface 201 includes a knob cap 317, a button PCB board 301, a push button 303, a holding column 305, a fixedly positioned main PCB board 307 in connection with other processing board 319, a rotary encoder 309, a locking mechanism 311, a rotary part 313 and a rotary knob case 315. As shown in FIG. 3B, holding column 305 is an empty tubing structure that can hold electric cables inside.

Rotary knob case 315 is configured for easy hand-gripping on the exterior surface and the top side of rotary knob case 315 is in contact with knob cap 317, the bottom side of rotary knob case 315 is tightly mounted together with rotary part 313 which is coupled with rotary encoder 309. The rotation of rotary encoder 309 is usually read by a controlling device, such as a microprocessor or a microcontroller to convert the angular position of the encoder to a corresponding digital code. A user can thus input user commands through rotating knob case 315 which causes the rotation of rotary part 313 and in turn the rotation of rotary encoder 309. The rotation of encoder 309 is converted into a corresponding digital code for controlling system function and performance. Rotary part 313 also forms a tunnel structure to interact with locking mechanism and the holding column. Locking mechanism 311 is mounted near around the exterior surface of rotary part 313 to lock the rotary position of rotary part 313. Holding column 305 is disposed inside the channel of rotary part 313.

On the other hand, button PCB board 301, push button 303, holding column 305 and knob cap 317 are mounted together onto main PCB board 307, where button PCB board 301 is connected with main PCB board 307 via a cable running through inside holding column 305. Knob cap 317 is mounted to move up and down, both button PCB board 301 and push button 303 are mounted to move up and down. Pressing knob cap 317 would therefore cause push button 303 to press button PCB board 301 which in-turn switch op the system power and also sends power keys through cable to main PCB board 307.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed block circuit diagrams for high output and high fidelity audio amplification that includes at least two differential operational amplification circuits. Digital 24 bit/192 k audio data are received through the Wi-Fi modules in either Apple's AIRPLAY format or DLNA (the Digital Living Network Alliance) format, or both formats simultaneously. The data files are then decoded and reformatted into PCM (pulse-code modulation audio format standard, I2S and left justified) data files. The reformatted data signals are inputted into the PCM1792 digital-to-analog converter to convert into analog signals. The output analog signals are diverted into at least two differential operational OPT2134 amplification circuits that are connected with filter circuits, the amplified analog signals are input into a Hi-Fi headphone driver TPA6120A2 chip to be played in an earphone or other sound system.

In reference to FIG. 5, a user interaction with the portable music playback system is illustrated. With the rotation of rotary knob 201, two set of signals may be sent to the playback system: the control signals for volume of the playback and the signals for data receiving and transmission, where data would be subsequently processed and played back.

Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skills that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various modifications and variations can be made in the presently disclosed system without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

None of the description in the present application should be read as implying that any particular element, step, or function is an essential element which must be included in the claim scope: THE SCOPE OF PATENTED SUBJECT MATTER IS DEFINED ONLY BY THE ALLOWED CLAIMS. Moreover, none of these claims are intended to invoke paragraph six of 35 USC section 112 unless the exact words “means for” are followed by a participle. The claims as filed are intended to be as comprehensive as possible, and NO subject matter is intentionally relinquished, dedicated, or abandoned. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A handheld structure for a portable audio data processing and playback device, comprising: a housing having a top side, a bottom side, and enclosed a wall, wherein said housing is configured to be held by a human hand; an aperture is disposed on said top side; a rotatable part is rotatably mounted on said aperture, said rotatable part being a cylindrical tubular structure, having a first opening and a narrowed second opening; a rotatable knob case is coupled to said first opening fixedly and fitly, wherein said rotatable knob case is configured for hand-gripping; a rotary encoder being fixedly coupled with said second opening of said rotatable part so that rotating of said rotatable knob case causes rotation of rotatable part and said rotary encoder; and a primary PCB board electrically wired with a set of circuits and multi-core micro-processors for processing high density audio data, said primary PCB board is configured in electronic communication with said rotary encoder, when system power is on, a rotation of said encoder sends an electronic signal to said primary PCB board to be executed as a command.
 2. The handheld structure of claim 1, further comprising: a second PCB board having a power management integration circuit; a push-button structure mounted disposed in proximity to said second PCB board; a holding column disposed inside the cylindrical tubular structure of the rotatable part, having a first end coupled with said push-button structure, a second end mounted to said primary PCB board; a cable coupling said primary PCB board and said second PCB board, being withheld in place by the holding column; and a knob cap rotablely mounted together with the rotatable knob case, covering said second PCB board; wherein pressing down said knob cap causes said second PCB board and said push-button to be in contact with each other, sending power key signal from the second PCB board to the PCB board.
 3. The handheld structure of claim 1, wherein said housing is made of a material selected from a group of plastic, wood, glass, ceramics, metal, dielectric and a combination of these materials.
 4. The handheld structure of claim 1, wherein the rotatable knob case is made of a material selected from a group of plastic, wood, glass, ceramics, metal, dielectric and a combination of these materials.
 5. The handheld structure of claim 1, wherein the primary PCB board is configured to process high density audio data transmitted in 24 bit 192 k or higher.
 6. The handheld structure of claim 1, wherein the primary PCB board is configured to includes a high fidelity digital-to-analog converter and amplification circuits.
 7. The handheld structure of claim 1, wherein a housing is mounted with a touch-screen that is in electronic communication with the primary PCB board.
 8. The handheld structure of claim 1, wherein said housing is in a shape of a rectangular box.
 9. The handheld structure of claim 1, wherein said housing is in a shape of a tubular perfume bottle.
 10. The handheld structure of claim 1, wherein said housing is in a shape of a military canteen.
 11. The handheld structure of claim 1, wherein said PCB board is in 6-layer stackup configuration.
 12. The handheld structure of claim 1, wherein said housing is further configured with at least one plugin-pocket.
 13. The handheld structure of claim 2, wherein the knob cap is made of OLED panels that is electrically connected with the second PCB board to light up when the second PCB power is on.
 14. The handheld structure of claim 2, wherein said housing is in a shape of a rectangular box.
 15. The handheld structure of claim 2, wherein said housing is in a shape of a tubular perfume bottle.
 16. The handheld structure of claim 2, wherein said housing is in a shape of a military canteen.
 17. The handheld structure of claim 13, wherein the OLED panels embody a trade logo.
 18. The handheld structure of claim 2, wherein said housing is carved with decoration. 